Exciting Autumn Festival

Visitors streaming to festival

This year, the atmosphere is more exciting when Con Son-Kiep Bac welcomes the certificate of special national relic.

On 30 September (15 Aug. Lunar Calendar), at Con Son relic, from the early morning, thousands of tourists and local people had gathered on the sanctuary yard for praying ceremony and procession to Nguyen Trai Temple. Procession ceremony was solemnly held by Buddhist and traditional rituals with authentic spirituality. Taking the lead was the lion dance team, followed by the banquet: fruits, cakes, imperial court for thurible. Joining in the ceremony were the monks and nuns, 300 people in festive attire with flags in hands. On Nguyen Trai Temple yard was a unique art performance with songs praising celebrities, national heroes, Con Son-Kiep Bac tourist attraction, boisterous festive drum performed by Hai Duong Cheo (folk music) Theatre.

"This is the first time my wife and I go to Con Son – Kiep Bac. I am really amazed at the beauty of nature, of the architectural works and exciting festival atmosphere. I'm glad not to see scenes of gambling, stealing, soliciting visitors ...We are sure to come back here next year” Mr. Ngoc Van Luan (56 years old, in Son Dong District, Bac Giang Province)

In the evening, on Nguyen Trai Temple courtyard "Con Son Night of Poetry and Mid-Autumn Festival" took place, bringing together many of the central and provincial poets, poetry lovers from clubs, artists, students in Cong Hoa Ward and tourists. Dozens of poems, songs and dances praising Con Son beautiful scenery and Nguyen Trai were presented.

At Kiep Bac, at 19 o'clock on 15 August of Lunar Calendar, there was performance of waiting on saints with the participation of 15 delegations inside and outside the province.

After ceremonies of saints worshiping, sanctifying, purifying, asking permission for festival. Right in the opening night of the festival, people attended various folk items praising the martial arts of Saint Tran and his army. Also in Kiep Bac, at 22 o’clock on the same day, the monks, offering teams of Van Yen, Duoc Son Villages and the provincial leaders held the seal opening ceremony in the inner of Kiep Bac Temple. During the festive days, the sealed-sheet bearing four seals of the St. Tran: "Tran Trieu Hung Dao Vuong chi an ", "Quoc Phap Dai Vuong", "Van duoc linh phu", "Phi thien than kiem linh phu" will be given to the people and visitors with a desire to " expel demons and evil spirits, pray for peace and fortune "...

The centre of the festival in the morning of October 1 (16 August of Lunar Calendar) was the activities of kowtowing, offering incense on Nam Tao Mountain and Bac Dau Mountain. Mrs. Hoang Thi Lieu, 67 years old, in Pho Yen District (Thai Nguyen) said: "This is my third time to come to attend the festival. I go to pagoda or temple not only to pray for peace to the family and the country, but also to visit tourist attractions. It is known that this year's festival has many special events such as the ceremony of welcoming the certificate of special national relic, festival of flower garlands and colored lanterns, the troops assembling festival on the Luc Dau River, large-scale act to valet  Saint ... ".

Mr. Ngoc Van Luan, 56 years-old, in Son Dong District (Bac Giang) said: "This is the first time my wife and I go to Con Son – Kiep Bac. I am really amazed at the beauty of nature, of the architectural works and exciting festival atmosphere. I'm glad not to see scenes of gambling, stealing, soliciting visitors ... ".

From 23 to 29 September (from 8 to 14 August of Lunar Calendar), there were about sixty thousand visitors to the Con Son – Kiep Bac. On 30 September and 1 October (15 and 16 August of Lunar Calendar), relic area welcomed 25 thousand visitors. Nguyen Khac Minh, Head of the Management Board of Con Son - Kiep Bac said: During the festival, the part which promised many surprises and interest was walking procession, incense offering ceremony to commemorate 712 anniversary of the death of the National Hero Tran Hung Dao with rituals of folk colors: making cakes to offer Saints, banquet of “God” pig organized by Duoc Son, Van Yen villagers; troops assembling on the Luc Dau River with the participation of 40 boat fishermen from Hai Phong and Kenh Giang (Chi Linh) together with the performances of 200 martial students of  Nhat Nam sect, Tho fighting with 120 stick fighters from Gia Loc District Town; First National Boat Contest took place on the  Luc Dau River on 17 August of Lunar Calendar; Death anniversary ceremony of Saint Tran on Mam Xoi Mountain on 20 August of Lunar Calendar. The festival was even more exciting with art performances, water puppet, duck catching, rice cooking competition.

NGOC HUNG